1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gliding fifth wheel attachments and more particularly pertains to a new hitch damping system for dampening forces transferred between a towed vehicle and a towing vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of gliding fifth wheel attachments is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,777 describes a system for mounting a fifth wheel hitch that allows the hitch to be adjust to provide greater maneuverability when towing the towed vehicle. Another type of gliding fifth wheel attachment is U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,070 having a fifth wheel hitch that is adjustable between a maneuvering position and a towing position. U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,722 has a trailer hitch that absorbs end thrust shocks between a towed vehicle and a towing vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,229 has a hitch that can be selectively moved along the length of runners to allow for selectively changing the mounting position of the hitch with respect to the towing vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,489 has a fifth wheel hitch with air suspension bags and shock absorbers to absorb vertical forces exerted between the trailer tongue and the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,045 has a pin box hitch member that is coupled to a superstructure that is selectively movable to allow access to a ball hitch positioned below the superstructure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,430 has a suspension system for fifth wheel connections that has an air suspension bag for absorbing vertical forces being transferred between the trailer and the towing vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,478 has a trailer hitch that has torsional spring apparatus coupled between a draw bar and a ball hitch so that the torsional spring absorbs shocks and surges between the towing vehicle and the trailer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,850 has a fifth wheel type hitch that receives a king pin of a trailer to coupled the trailer to a towing vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,560 has a trailer hitch that has a dampening mechanism for absorbing vertical forces and a dampening mechanism for absorbing horizontal forces transferred between the trailer and the towing vehicle. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0125683 has a fifth wheel hitch that has air suspension bags to absorb motion between the trailer and the towing vehicle.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a system that has certain improved features dampens longitudinal forces between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle.